:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68812201/usa_today_14174566.0.jpg)
The only path for the Kentucky Wildcats to make the NCAA Tournament is by going to Nashville and winning the SEC Tournament.
However, there is no guarantee that the conference tournament will happen.
On Friday, the NCAA announced that they will let each conference decide how to award their automatic bids. The conferences can either give the automatic bid to the regular season champion or they can have a conference tournament. Each league must decide by February 26th.
Here is the official release from the NCAA:
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22300851/2021_02_12.png)
While we do not know yet if the SEC will decide to have the SEC Tournament, Jon Rothstein reported last week that the SEC Tournament is still on as it was previously scheduled, and they are expecting to have 20-25% capacity.
Source: The 2021 SEC Tournament is on as planned and hopes to have 20-25 percent capacity.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) February 6, 2021
I think there is a good chance we see the Power 5 conferences (SEC, ACC, Big Ten, Big-12, PAC-12) hold a conference tournament and the smaller conference send their regular season champion to the NCAA Tournament.